AURORA'S POV

My shoulders started trembling as I swallowed the lump in my throat, clutching the key as if my life depended on it.

I sniffed, feeling the wave of emotions hitting me all over.

"Are you okay?" He asked, arching his perfectly sculpted brow at me and I gasped. Is that a flicker of softness I hear in his voice?

This sudden urge to confide and break down pulled me under, but I closed my eyes before the tears fell. "I'm fine."

I tossed the key onto the floor, sprinting down the hallway and down the gates of CV. I didn’t stop until I was standing at our little apartment.

"Mom!" I whimpered under my breath as I turned the knob and opened the door.

I stumbled back, eyes widening with shock when I saw my mom peeling away from a man, her lipstick already smudged. The ache in my chest worsened and a sudden wave of nausea washed over me.

"Mom?" I called out, still not believing what I was seeing.

"Baby, you didn’t tell me you were coming back so soon." She pushed her skirt further down her lap, and I scoffed.

"Don’t tell me this man was the reason you left Dad." I gestured at the man who could barely make eye contact.

My mom grabbed my shoulders. "It’s not like that. I met Richard after the split. Now we’re engaged. I didn’t know how to tell you."

I moved her hands slowly from my shoulders. "So you forced me back here after everything that happened so you could be happy?" I screamed, pressing my hand hard against my chest.

"What about me, Mom?" I whispered. "What about my own happiness? I agreed to live with you because I didn’t want you to be alone."

I wiped the tears off my face. "I’m done with you and this stupid place," I hissed.

"Rory." My mom tried to reach me, but I brushed past her, and thankfully she didn’t come after me.

*****

Buzz! Buzz!

My hand slowly reached over to my phone, and Jessica’s message popped up.

[Get dressed. I know a place that can cheer you up!]

I blinked through the tears, feeling grateful I had Jessica in my life. After she found out I left school early, she’d been calling me nonstop to check up on me after I told her everything.

Going to a party wasn’t smart. But sitting in this apartment would kill me faster than any party ever could.

So I took a quick shower and did my best to put on something nice—all on Jessica’s orders.

"Oh my gosh, girl, you look so freaking hot!" She gasped the moment I stepped out of the cab.

She hugged me tight, the scent of alcohol washing over my nostrils, and I frowned.

"You haven’t even gotten to the party yet and you’re already drinking." I eyed her with suspicion. "You know how you get when you’re drunk and..."

I took another sniff as I leaned closer. "Jess, have you been smoking?"

She pulled away with wide eyes. "How did you know?"

I narrowed my eyes. "It’s literally all over you, and the perfume you sprayed isn’t helping."

Jessica darted her eyes away and sniffed her clothes. "That’s strange. I only drank one vodka this morning and took one drag of a cigarette. How can you still smell it?"

I nudged her shoulder. "Don’t worry, it’s not too obvious. It’s a party—everyone’s probably drinking and smoking."

Jessica smiled nervously. "Right. Right."

She hooked her arm through mine and started guiding me inside. "Don’t worry. Tonight—no family drama or Ethan. It’s just me and you against the world."

I smirked shyly then, walked inside. Loud, blaring music filled the air, hit my eardrums, almost blasting it off!

My head felt like it was going to split in half as I blinked through the dim flickering disco lights.

From the corner, I noticed a stare, like a shadow looming behind me. My skin prickled and almost instinctively, I darted my eyes over.

The boy with gray eyes who looked bored despite the two girls draped over him, as if none of it was real to him.

At that moment, I didn’t even know if it was the light catching in his eyes, because they shimmered, and my blood ran cold seeing the way they were intimately touching him.

"Stop staring at Kole." Jessica yelled through the music, and pulled at my arm, ripping my eyes away from him.

"Kole? Is that name supposed to mean something?" I asked curiously.

"That’s Crescent Vale’s hockey captain, Kole Maddox. He joined our school after you left." She pulled me closer. "I know I said flirt your heart away, but that’s not an option."

"Why not?" I asked, and Jessica’s face twitched.

I cleared my throat. "I’m just curious."

"Kole is a die-hard player, and doesn’t do relationships, so stay away from him before you get your heart broken."

I nodded sharply. There was absolutely nothing to worry about, because at this point, love and relationships weren’t even an option.

"Good girl. Come on. Let me introduce you to some guys." Jessica hooked my arm with hers and started dragging me off.

I could still feel that prickle against my skin like I was being watched, and I tried to steal a glance toward Kole.

Our eyes met again, and I tightened my hand around Jessica’s.

Thud!

I stumbled when I felt a force shove against mine, and I staggered, feeling cold liquid slipping inside my shirt.

"Oh, look who it is," Brielle’s voice cut through the air loudly as the sound of the music started to fade. "It’s basement girl."

My chest heaved as I turned toward Jessica. "Didn’t you say it’s a college party?"

Jessica swallowed hard, and I bit my lip. Coming here was a bad idea.

"It’s CV’s hockey game after-party. If you actually went to school, you’d know."

My fists tightened because if it was a hockey game after-party, then Ethan was definitely going to be here.

After what happened today, I didn’t want to see him.

The moment I tried to leave, Brielle held me back. "Where do you think you’re going after ruining my mood, huh? Stay back, mutt, because you definitely have to pay!"

She took one of the drinks from another teenager at the party, and tilting the glass sideways, dumped it straight onto my head.

Cold liquid soaked my hair, dripping down my spine. Gasps filled the air, and my vision blurred—not from tears, but from rage clawing up my throat.

"Why can’t you just let me go? I’ve never done anything bad to you..." I gritted my teeth.

Brielle crossed her arms over her chest, smirking. "Nothing really. I just like watching you squirm as I taunt you."

I felt like I couldn't breathe as something grew inside me, forcing me to let it out.

I slapped her across the face and stunned silence instantly filled the air.

"Oh my God. Did she just hit Brielle? She’s so done for," someone whispered.

But the whispers suddenly died down and students started to scurry to the side as a figure pushed forward. "Isn’t that Ethan, Brielle’s boyfriend?"